RADIO
Rotoballer kicks off the 2015 NFL Season by reviewing each teams draft, continuing with the NFC East. Draft expert Owen Elle gives his take on each teams ability to fill their needs and add overall talent to their rosters.
Check out our previous divisional draft reviews: AFC East, AFC North, AFC South, AFC West, NFC South.
Dallas Cowboys
Round 1, Pick 27 - CB Byron Jones, Connecticut
Round 2, Pick 60 - EDGE Randy Gregory, Nebraska
Round 3, Pick 91 - OT Chaz Green, Florida
Round 4, Pick 127 - ILB Damien Wilson, Minnesota
Round 5, Pick 163 - DE Ryan Russell, Purdue
Round 7, Pick 236 - OLB Mark Nzeocha, Wyoming
Round 7, Pick 243 - OT Laurence Gibson, Virginia Tech
Round 7, Pick 246 - TE Geoff Swaim, Texas
The Cowboys knocked their first two selections out of the park, taking the athletic, speed-freak corner Byron Jones and then taking a top-five talent in Randy Gregory. Although Gregory has some serious issues that involve a failed drug test and potentially some type of depression, the Cowboys have shown they're not afraid to take on players with character issues (Dez Bryant, Greg Hardy). In fact, if the Cowboys use the same strategy they used with Bryant to straighten him out, there's a chance that Gregory becomes one of the biggest success stories of this draft. The rest of the draft was very hit-or-miss, with the Cowboys taking a couple of players in the seventh round that I am not certain are real people. Despite re-signing Rolando McClain, I do like Dallas taking former Gopher Damien Wilson, who has the football intelligence to develop into a starting linebacker in the league.
Grade: C+
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New York Giants
Round 1, Pick 9 - OT Ereck Flowers, Miami
Round 2, Pick 33 - S Landon Collins, Alabama
Round 3, Pick 74 - DE Odighizuwa Owamagbe, California-Los Angeles
Round 5, Pick 144 - S Mykkele Thompson, Texas
Round 6, Pick 186 - WR Geremy Davis, Connecticut
Round 7, Pick 226 - OG Bobby Hart, Florida State
I really wish I knew what the Giants were thinking in this draft. Ereck Flowers flowers fits a position of need, but at ninth overall he was not a good value. Landon Collins was an interesting selection, he helps fill a hole the Giants have at safety and also helps make up for their porous linebacker core by being able to come up and play in the box. Odighizuwa Owamagbe, nicknamed by some as Godzilla, was seen as one of the best pure pass rushers in this draft. Putting him opposite Jason Pierre-Paul will help the Giants rebuild a defensive line that use to be their signature piece on defense. However, going later into the draft players like Mykkele Thompson, Geremy Davis and Bobby Hart couldn't be found on almost any draft boards.
Grade: D+
Philadelphia Eagles
Round 1, Pick 20 - WR Nelson Agholor, Southern California
Round 2, Pick 47 - S/CB Eric Rowe, Utah
Round 3, Pick 84 - OLB Jordan Hicks, Texas
Round 6, Pick 191 - CB JaCorey Shepard, Kansas
Round 6, Pick 196 - CB Randall Evans, Kansas State
Round 7, Pick 237 - DL Brian Mihalik, Boston College
Given the Eagles loss of Jeremy Maclin to the Chiefs in the offseason, Nelson Agholor was a very expected pick at 20th overall. Agholor has sometimes been compared to Maclin and is seen as more dynamic threat with a similar skill set. He'll likely be playing on the outside in his rookie year while Jordan Matthews continues playing the big slot role- so they shouldn't be competing for the same targets. Eric Rowe has position flexibility that is incredibly valuable to the Eagles, who could use help at both corner and safety, and have expressed desire to play two Free Safety types (instead of one Strong and one Free) which makes Rowe an interesting player . Taking a flyer on a pair of corners from the Sunflower State low risk move by Chip Kelly to further strengthen the weakest part of the team. Also, while Brian Mihalik isn’t the most talented player in the draft by any means, he is 6’9, 295 lbs, figuring to start out contributing on special teams immediately.
Grade: B
Washington Redskins
Round 1, Pick 5 - OL Brandon Scherff, Iowa
Round 2, Pick 38 - DE Preston Smith, Mississippi State
Round 3, Pick 95 - RB Matt Jones, Florida
Round 4, Pick 105 - WR Jamison Crowder, Duke
Round 4, Pick 112 - OG Arie Kouandjio, Alabama
Round 5, Pick 141 - OLB Martrell Spaight, Arkansas
Round 6, Pick 181 - SS Kyshoen Jarrett, Virginia Tech
Round 6, Pick 182 - CB Tevin Mitchell, Arkansas
Round 6, Pick 187 - WR Evan Spener, Ohio State
Round 7, Pick 222 - C Austin Reiter, South Florida
I like the selection of Brandon Scherff at fifth overall, it gives the Redskins a much needed anchor on the offensive line and although they chose to let Leonard Williams slide in order to take him, he is as safe of a pick as any in the draft. This was a deep draft for edge rushers and Washington got theirs with Preston Smith, another very highly rated pure pass rusher who as has high of a chance as any of the higher picks to put up gaudy sack totals. I think the Redskins massively reached for Matt Jones, especially considering David Cobb, Jay Ajayi and Jeremy Langford were all still available at pick #95.
Draft: D
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